This invention relates to locking means and, in particular locking means for securing adjacent articulated members such as to preclude or limit relative movement between them. Typical examples of such articulated members are a toilet bowl and the lid of the toilet seat, as well as a trash can having a hinged lid.
Who among us who have been fortunate enough to have small children, or even pets, has not experienced splashing noises from the bathroom which, upon investigation have been found to be the result of playful antics. In the child's mind the toilet bowl has become a lake for sailing his toy boat, a test site for a new submersible toy or even worse, a bathtub of the new puppy. Although such happenings are often the source of fond memories, the fact remains that at best they are inconvenient and at worst can sometimes result in accidental drowning, costly plumbing repairs and contact with sewage.
Similarly, how often to people find spilled waste as a result of children or pets overturning waste containers. If there was a way of securing the container lid when the container is not in use, the spillage could be avoided even if the container is overturned.
Thus there appears to be a need for a locking means to secure articulated members such as hinged lids and the like. Such a locking means should be easy to operate for an adult, inexpensive to manufacture and simple to install.